The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has outlawed certificates returned by 35 born-again Christians after confessing that they cheated during the examinations years ago.
Among them- the former students of different schools who returned their certificates were two private candidates for the November/December private examination.
The Education Report gathered that the Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC) of the council, which is the highest decision-making organ of WAEC on exams, approved the restitution cases at its 73rd and 74th meetings held in Lagos.
At the meetings, NEC considered the various special cases, appeals for clemency, impounded, and restitution cases for school and private candidates’ examinations.
Also, the committee approved the impoundment of nine certificates for candidates who wrote the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) for May/June and private examinations as well as those who sat for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school and private candidates.
One of the certificates returned by a born-again candidate was issued in December 1982, 40 years ago and for the school examination, the council issued the certificate in June 1993, 29 years ago.
In the case of the impounded certificates, the oldest is dated December 1981, which is 41 years ago to a private candidate while for the school examination; the certificate was issued June 1990, 32 years ago.
Thirty-one candidates issued certificates by WAEC were returned by born-again Christians according to the decision of the 74th council NEC meeting, which is mainly for school candidates, who sat for WASSCE.
A breakdown showed that certificates issued in 2015 had three, 2012 (four), 2010 (three), 2017 and 2009 (two each), 1994, 2019, 2020, 2018, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2001, 2001, 2004, 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2014, one each.
Another four certificates issued for school and private candidates were returned by born-again Christians as confirmed by the report of the 74th NEC meeting.
The details of the four returned certificates under restitution include December 1982, December 2002, and school certificates for 2016 and 193.
The nine impounded WASSCE certificates are two for December 2005, December 1993, December 1981, June 2004, December 2001, June 1990, December 2002, and December 1995.
